About Nicky — My Teaching Background

Qi Gong means working with your energy. I began exploring energy practices over ten years ago. Back then, it was considered a little “out there.” Today, science increasingly confirms: everything is energy, and where your attention goes, your energy flows.

My journey in brief:

  • First teacher: Sue Weston, who taught me that being a great teacher starts with the teacher

  • 2015: Completed first teacher training and began practising regularly

  • Lockdown: Reconnected via online classes, retreats, and mindfulness courses

  • COVID years: Entered menopause, experienced health challenges, sought alternative approaches

  • Began Holden Qi Gong Teacher Training — reflecting on: Where am I? Where do I want to go? What seeds do I want to plant?

Six people in a forest during fall, standing in a circle around a large tree, with a woman in a blue jacket speaking or teaching, and the others listening with some raising their hands.
A woman practicing yoga indoors near large windows with plants and a Wuji Wellbeing sign in the background.

Teaching highlights:

  • Started teaching in 2023 with small groups; participants left feeling lighter and inspired

  • Met John and Mary Platt, authors of The Five Elements of Qi Gong, deepening my connection between Qi Gong and nature

  • Trained in breathwork: Oxygen Advantage & Breath Body Therapy

  • Led retreats in Cheshire and Merseyside

  • Currently studying Animal Qi Gong and pursuing Level 2 Teacher Training

  • Trained in menopause-specific Qi Gong with Daisy Lee

Professional background:

  • Chartered Physiotherapist for 30+ years, specialising in persistent pain and nervous system adaptability

  • Recently diagnosed with ADHD and partially deaf since birth, enhancing understanding of grounding practices

Research & Community Work:

  • Collaborated with University of Lancashire on a literature review of Qi Gong for fibromyalgia

  • Co-created 7-minute, 7-day Qi Gong Challenge

  • Presented at  Yoga Mind Body Conference University of Lancashire and The First Annual Conference for the Association of Outdoor Therapists

As the forest teaches us - sometimes the greatest gift is simply to pause, breathe, and be.

A woman practicing yoga outdoors on a grassy area near a large tree with mountains and a lake in the background. She is standing with feet apart, arms raised and hands in a prayer position.
A woman stands in a wooded outdoor area with dirt ground and fallen leaves, wearing hiking attire and holding a small object, possibly a notebook or phone, smiling at the camera.